The present invention relates to a firearm sound suppressor which is attached to the barrel of a firearm to reduce the noise and flash generated by the firearm and especially to a firearm sound suppressor that improves the dissipation of heat and provides a breach head on the end thereof for use as a ramming and breaching instrument.
A firearm sound suppressor typically mounts to the end of the muzzle of a firearm and is usually a hollow metal cylinder which has expansion chambers therein and which attaches to the muzzle of a firearm. This type of sound suppressor is readily attached to the end of a firearm barrel and may be used on different firearms of the same caliber.
Firearms also commonly use muzzle brakes or recoil compensators which counter recoil of the firearm and an unwanted rising of the barrel during rapid fire of the firearm. The muzzle brake is also generally attached to the muzzle end of a firearm and directs the bullet propellant gases upward to reduce muzzle climb and to, some extent, also the recoil in firearms.
The firearm suppressor suppresses noise by allowing the rapidly expanding gases from the firing of a cartridge to be diverted or trapped inside a series of chambers. The trapped gas expands and cools, reducing its pressure and velocity before it exits the suppressor. The suppressor chamber may be a single large expansion chamber located at the muzzle end of a firearm to allow the propellant gas to expand considerably and slow before it encounters the baffles therein. Baffles used in sound suppressors are usually circular metal dividers which separate the expansion chamber with each baffle having a hole therethrough to permit passage of gas through the baffle. The aperture in each baffle and the passageway through the sound suppressor are generally slightly larger than the bullet caliber to reduce the risk of a bullet hitting the sides of the housing in the sound suppressor. A sound suppressor housing can become heated to a very high temperature because of the collection of rapidly expanding gases from firing of multiple cartridges, especially in rapid fire weapons.
The present application addresses this problem by substantially increasing the surface area of the external housing of the suppressor for more rapid dissipation of the heat therefrom. In addition, the user of a firearm often needs a ramming or breaching tool which usually is not available in the field.
The present sound suppressor has a ram built onto the end thereof so that the firearm can be used as a ram or breaching device without damaging the firearm. The ram is provided with a cover or cap when not being used which covers the end of the ram to prevent the ram from catching on or snagging on something when the ram is not being used.